Railway brake beam and bottom rod emergency support



RAILWAY BRAKE BEAM AND BOTTOM ROD EMERGENCY SUPPORT Filed April 10, 19332 Sheets-Sheet l FIG.I

VIEW TOR May 21, 1935.

E. C. LUNSFORD RAILWAY BRAKE BEAM AND BOTTOM ROD EMERGENCY SUPPORT FiledApril 10, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V RAILWAY BRAKE'BEAM materialism. I Y I1 EMERGENCKSUPPORTN Errell C. Lunsford,shreveporttlaf Application April10, 1933, Serial No. 665,399

5 Claims.

This invention relates to brakes used on tank cars, locomotives andother railway equipment using brake beams and bottom rods as means tooperate the brakes.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a dependable supportfor the brake beams and bottom rods on railway equipment.

Another object of my invention is to provide a support that may beremoved or installed on equipment in yards or on gasoline loading rackswhere fire and electric drills are not permitted, thus eliminating theshopping of this piece of equipment.

A further object is to provide a brake beam and bottom rod emergencysupport that maybe installed or removed in a minimum length of time.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a brake beam and.bottom rod emergency support that may be installed without drillingholes in the spring plank. I

Still another object is to provide a brake beam and bottom rod emergencysupport that may be attached to the spring plank without the use ofrivets or common bolts, which are unsatisfactory. I

Another object of my invention is to provide a brake beam and bottom rodsupport that is inexpensive, rigid, safe, simple and secure; thuseliminating unnecessary damage to braking mechanism and useless loss oflife in accidents caused by derailment of railway equipment.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the novelconstruction and arrangement of parts in combination with each other, aswill be explained hereinafter.

In the drawings illustrating my invention similar characters designatecorresponding parts.

Figure 1 is a perspective view ofpart of a pair of trucks showing myinvention installed.

Figure 2 is a perspective View of my invention attached by means of Jbolts to a spring plank.

Figure 3 is a view of one support showing the slots and holes therein.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a curved tieing strap with ends. bentat right angles and having In the accompanying drawings the numeral Idesignates an angle bar of the desired dimensions,

having two L shaped slots 6 on the top side, adapted to receive J bolts4 suspended from spring plank 3. On the side of said angle bar I thereare two holes I adapted to receive bolts.

Numeral 2 designates a curved tieing strap having each end bent at rightangles and having holes I in each end adapted to receive bolts.

In entirety, my invention consists of two angle bars I, having two Lshaped slots on top side and two holes in the side of each bar; twocurved tieing straps 2 with each end bent at right angles with holes Iin said ends.

To install said invention I use four J bolts 4, four lock washers I0 andfour nuts II. The J bolts 4 are ample in length to allow a threadedportion to be upset after the lock washers and nuts have been placed on,thus preventing the nut from being removed.

To install my invention I now unscrew the nuts on J bolts until theycontact the swelled ends of the bolts. I place the hook of the J boltover the edge of the spring plank 3, letting nut I I and washer Ill hangbelow the spring plank 3. The bar I is placed so slots 6 will receive Jbolts 4. By sliding bar I lengthwise the J bolts 4 are jammed in the farend of the slots 6 and the nuts II are tightened. The same operation isperformed with the other bar I. Said bars I and I are positioned in sucha way that ends protrude under brake beam 8 and truss rod 9. Tieingstrap 2 is now placed under'bottom rod 5 and over at end of angle bar I,the holes of said tieing strap 2 are made to coincide with the holes inangle bar I, to receive a bolt, to fasten tieing strap 2 to angle bar I,so the edge of said tieing strap contacts J bolt 4, preventing itsmovement. Tieing strap 2 performs three functions inasmuch as itprevents angle bars I from longitudinal movement, also prevents J boltsfrom movement out of slots and acts as emergency support for bottom rodin event of loss of key bolts or other failures of braking mechanism.

It is apparent that after my invention is installed on a piece ofrailway equipment it is impossible for a brake beam or bottom rod tofall, causing damage to said piece of equipment and the ties and railsofthe road bed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:-

1. A structure of the character described having angle bars, each havingtwo holes and two slots therein, two tieing straps adapted to be boltedon said angle bars in a manner to prevent said J bolts from sliding inthe slots when ata spring plank by means of J bolts and slotted anglebars; a curved tieing strap, extending under the bottom rod, and acrossthe angle bars and bolted thereon in such a way that one edge of thetieing strap is contacting the J bolts to prevent slidable movement.

3. A structure of the character described comprising the combination oftwo slotted angle bars, two curved tieing straps and four J bolts withnuts and washers, adapted to be quickly installed or removed from thespring plank of railway equipment when used as an emergency safetysupport for brake beams and bottom rods.

4. A structure comprising the combination of two slotted angle bars andtwo curved tieing straps, adapted to be attached under. the spring plankof tank car trucks by means of J bolts; each slotted angle bar extendingunder the brake beam and the curved tieing strap extending under thebottom rod, and across the angle bars with its edge contacting the Jbolts, preventing both end and side movement thereon.

5. A structure comprising the combination of two slotted angle bars, twocurved tieing straps and four J bolts; adapted to be attached under thespring plank of tank car trucks, by means of said J bolts so the ends ofangle bars extend under the brake beam aifording a means of supporttingthe brake beam in event of a mechanical failure.

ERRELL C. LUNSFORD.

